


Tomorrow Never Dies

by NarryEm



Series: 5 Seconds of Summer Fantasies [5]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, M/M, Mild Smut, Multiple Timelines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-15
Updated: 2014-09-15
Packaged: 2018-02-17 09:20:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2304635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NarryEm/pseuds/NarryEm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ashton is a time traveller but his power is more of a curse than a blessing. In different times, he keeps meeting a blond boy with sky blue eyes named Luke.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tomorrow Never Dies

**Author's Note:**

> title from the song by 5 Seconds of Summer.
> 
> Don't know where the idea came from except that I thought it would be fun to write out. I've recently discovered that I get more response when I write angsty and/or darker stories so yeah.

 

 

_**May 1, 1056; Austria** _

Ashton wants to scoff at all the aristocrats chatting mindlessly about whatever rich people talk about.  The heavily embroidered tailcoat feels stiff and scratchy around the collar and he remembers once again why he hates this social functions.

From afar he sees a tall blonde man walking towards him.  Or rather, the refreshment table next to him, he supposes.  To his surprise, the blond stands next to him and hold out his hand.

“Nice to meet you,” he says pleasantly.  “My name is Luke, and you are?”

“Ashton,” he says courteously.  Luke’s sky blue eyes sparkle at that.

“And what a lovely name that is.  I don’t think I’ve seen you before tonight.”

Ashton shrugs.  He just travelled to the medieval Austria a couple weeks ago.  Thankfully, being omnilingual comes with the whole time-travelling business, thank his lucky stars.  He just wishes that he could control it. “I’m new in town.  A bit of a traveller myself.”

Luke’s eyes widen in admiration.  “That sounds splendid!  I wish to study abroad but my parents won’t let me out of their sight.  They think that I’ll run away from the boring life here and live elsewhere in the world.”

Ashton laughs at that lightly.  “That’s very probable.  Part of the reason why I travel so much is because I tire of the same old scene easily.”

Luke laughs genuinely.  “I can definitely relate to that.”

The party goes on but it’s not as aimless and tedious with Luke by his side.  By the end of the night, Ashton knows that they should say goodbye yet he finds himself wanting to stay with Luke a little longer.

“I found that there are a lot of inevitable things in life,” he laments to Luke.  “Day after day and night after night, the moon will fall and the sun will rise, and vice versa.  We’ll continue to live until Death greets us one day and then it will all be over.  Life is so finite and it really is up to the person how they can live it.”

Luke’s eyes twinkle with interest.  “You sound wise beyond your age.  Are you sure that you are twenty?”

Ash smirks, feeling bitter inside.  “As sure as the stars that shine above our heads.”  He has been twenty for a few centuries now anyway.

“May I come visit you some time?” Luke asks timidly.

“Of course.  You make a wonderful companion, Luke.”

“Thanks.  Until next time, then.”

But of course, in the course of his damned life, Ashton has long learnt that some infinities are bigger than other infinities and that his little infinity is the worst of them.

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

_**July 16, 1567; Sussex** _

 

It’s the birthday celebration of some pompous lord and Ashton, of course, has been given an invitation.  He’s been living in Sussex for about four years now and he has made a name for himself.  The lord’s name is Lucas and Ashton marvels at the now-familiar name.  Nevertheless, he puts on his best evening clothes and calls up a carriage.  

  1.   It’s the same name that haunts him in some of the eras that he gets stuck in.  He always looks the same, acts the same, and talks the same way.  It’s dishearteningly nostalgic.



He doesn’t let himself wonder about his first life too much.  When he does, though, he wonders about all the possibilities.  To his friends and family, he simply disappeared without a trace one morning, or night, or whenever it happened to be in that lifetime.  Or was his existence obliterated like all human lives inevitably are?  Was he erased from everything? These questions haunt him and he hates how no matter what he does short of killing himself, he can’t escape them.

That’s the honest beauty of immortality.

So he gets himself ready and then climbs into the carriage.  The horse master tries to make small talk but after a couple minute of no response, he gives up.  One of the things that never changes, Ashton decides, is people’s need and want to connect with other human beings.  They are yearn to have that special connection with that one special person and choose to overlook whatever imperfections they may bring into their lives.

It’s idyllic and idiotic.

The carriage pulls up to a castle with the appearance of a survivor.  The horse master goes away to park elsewhere after asking Ashton what time he should come around to the front.

The entrance hall is full is nobility already and just at a glance of their outlandish fashions, Ashton can tell that this will be one of those parties where the rich try to outdo each other and backstab people as soon as a back is turned.

It’s sickening.

He attempts to chat with a gaggle of young women who practically hound after him, which he is somewhat used to.  Centuries of living has taught him that most people will judge a person by his appearance and he is aware that he is what some people would classify as being handsome.  It’s exhausting to try and keep up with the ladies and he excuses himself by saying that he is hungry when in fact, hunger no longer affects him like it affects a normal human.

“Are you okay, my lord?” a careful voice asks.  Ashton flinches at the familiarity of the voice.  It’s Luke, of course, even though he hasn’t the faintest clue who Ashton is.

“I need some fresh air and this place is like a maze,” Ashton says with a sheepish smile.

“I’m Lucas, son of this estate’s owner.  Let me guide you out to the back garden then.”

“Thank you.”

It’s slightly chilly outdoors given that it’s an English summer.  Ashton wishes that he can return to the modern times soon because he is sick and tired of the posh embroidered clothes that provide little comfort or warmth.

“It is your birthday we’re celebrating tonight, right?’ Ashton asks.

Luke blushes.  “It is.  I don’t think I’ve caught your name yet, sir.”

“Ashton.  I’m new here.”  And I’ll be gone before the next time you think about me again, he thinks bitterly.

“I hardly know anyone either way.  All I’ve done in my life is study etiquettes and ancient texts that I doubt I’ll need the knowledge of in my life,” Luke complains lightly.

“Trust me, you won’t.  Whatever Aristotle and Pluto has got to say doesn’t help us choose between the matters in the present.”

“His aesthetics are admirable though,” Luke admits shyly.

“Maybe.  But views of the humankind change so easily.”

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

_**2012; Sydney, Australia** _

 

Ashton already knows that this era is going to be one of the worst because it’s when he meets the people who could have been his bandmates.  For some reason, whenever he returns to this timeline, he de-ages and turns into an eighteen year old all over again.

It just hurts so much.

“C’mon, Ash,” Luke urges him.  “We said that we’re gonna record our Gotta Get Out today, remember?  Don’t be such a lazy bum.”

“Yeah, Ash,’ Calum choruses.  “Get you fat arse over here so we can get this over with.

The recording goes smoothly.  Ashton has lived this through countless times.  In a few months, Louis Tomlinson from One Direction will send out a tweet about this song and then after their tour with Hot Chelle Rae, they will be contacted by Modest Management about Take Me Home Tour.  They will say, of course.  It’ll be a massive platform for them and increase the fan base they have started even before the tour.

 

 

Fast forward several months and Ashton is in London for the first time in his life to write song with legends.  He loves the buddy system that they’ve got going on, which means that there are days that he gets to spend with Luke alone.  He’s not brain-dead; he has figured out that Luke is his soul mate or something close to that effect.  Their souls are drawn to one another even though Ashton never dies. 

“You look awfully thoughtful today,” Luke jokes, booping Ashton on the nose.

“We have been writing songs for the past couple hours,” Ashton points out.

“True.  But what’s really on your mind?”

Ashton does something he’s never done before.  Okay, he’s done this a couple times with all the bandmates whilst shit-faced but this is the first time doing it sober.

He kisses Luke fully on the mouth for a solid second or two.

The heat that rushes to Luke’s cheeks can be felt through the space between them as Ashton pulls back.  Luke’s face is a bright apple red and if not for the given circumstances, Ashton would be pointing fingers and laughing.

“Wh-what’d you do that for?” Luke stammers, eyes fixed on the ground.

“’Cause I’ve been in love with you for longer than you can ever realise,” Ashton admits truthfully.

“Really?” Luke looks up, hope dancing in his eyes.

“Yeah, idiot.  Calum and Michael thinks that I’m too pathetic to last an entire tour with you on the road.  Honestly, I thought I was too.”

In less than a heartbeat, he finds himself flung backwards onto the conveniently placed sofa as Luke tackles him onto it.  He is about to protest when something warm and soft presses to his lips.  It’s Luke who starts the kiss this time and Ashton has no complaints about returning it.

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

_**2112; Belgium** _

 

Ashton rarely travels to the future, not that he has any power over his so-called ‘power’.  Everything is so uniform and the sky is unusually bright and blue.  Towards the end of the twenty-first century, the scientists finally got their shit together and fixed all the problems that the world had.  Now all is right in the world again.

Except it isn’t.

For some reason, Ashton has not been able to meet Luke in any of his lifetimes or timelines or whatever.  It’s depressing, since the only thing he enjoys about his involuntary immortality is the fact that he is always with Luke.

Maybe Luke’s soul found someone else he resonated with.  Or maybe this is signalling the beginning of an end.

Either way, it’s severely depressing.

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

_**2159; Andalucia, Spain** _

 

Ashton really likes the sub-tropical weathers.  Which is precisely why he’s spent the last few decades in the southern Europe countryside.  The sun is on the brink of setting, basking the sky with its dying red-gold rays.

“Would you like a top-up, sir?” a hotel employee asks.  Ash shakes his head without even turning around.  He’s pretty much spent the entire day lounging around on the beach and drinking leisurely.  It’s wise for him to head back to his room anyway.

He pulls on a t-shirt and walks up the wooden walkway to the hotel.  It’s dark out now, and the lights are blinking on all at once.  He bumps into someone and he murmurs a hasty ‘siento’. 

And when he looks up, he swears that the world stops spinning around.

In front of him is Luke, staring at him with wide-eyes.  It’s almost as if he recognises Ashton.

“Ashton?” Luke asks in disbelief.

Ashton grabs Luke by his forearm and starts to drag him away.  He can’t question Luke freely when there are so many eyes that could be watching and partially because Ashton might break down and bawl his eyes out if his suspicions turn out to be true.  He brings Luke all the way back to the bungalow he has rented out and shoves him up against a wall.

“How do you remember me?” he asks sharply.

“What do you mean?  You’re Ashton Fletcher Irwin, the guy I’ve been in love with since 2012.  How can I not remember?”

“Shit shit shit,” Ashton spits out.  “What are you saying; that you are stuck travelling between times just like me?”

Luke shrugs.  “I guess.  Also, I haven’t aged a day since that last One Direction tour.  What’s up with that?”

“That I don’t know.  It’s a curse, idiot.  I thought I was meant to roam this world alone forever,” Ashton whispers, head buried in Luke’s shoulder and arms wound tight around Luke’s chest.

“I love you and I plan to stay with a very long time.”

Luke gently raises Ashton’s head and kisses him softly.  It’s the perfect kind of kiss where it’s not too fast or too slow.  Gradually, things heat up and Ashton can’t control himself much longer.  His hands are roaming everywhere up and down Luke’s slim body and he just can’t bring himself to stop.  Judging by Luke’s breathy moans and his hands underneath Ashton’s shirt, they have to be on the same page.

“Bed, now,” Ashton pants out and Luke nods weakly.

Things get a hazy from there.  They never stop kissing except to take their shirts off completely.  Ashton fumbles around for a tube of lubricant that he knows he’s stashed somewhere and then takes his sweet time opening up Luke and at the same time, kind of torturing him.  It’s not entirely his fault that he wants to finger Luke forever when Luke’s making a downright lewd and helpless face every time Ashton jabs into his prostate with his fingers.

“Fuck I’m gonna come like this if you don’t stop,” Luke protests when Ash licks up his erection.

“I don’t mind,” Ashton smirks.  “We’ve got all night.”

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

The sun is already halfway across the sky by the time Ashton awakes next to a warm body.  He turns around and an automatic smile blooms on his face when he sees that it’s Luke for sure. Last night was easily the best night Ashton has ever had and he hopes that the same holds for Luke.  He orders breakfast on the hotel phone and then keeps on watching Luke sleep, as creepy as that is.

“Stop starin’,” Luke mumbles, rubbing at his eyes.  “Woke up when you said something about extra bacons on the phone.”

“Morning to ya too,” Ashton laughs, kissing the top of Luke’s head.  “How ya feeling?”

“Awesome but sore,” Luke admits.  “But I’d do that all over again in a heartbeat ‘cause that was the best night I had in ages.”

“I love you; and I wish that there was a better way of saying this after centuries of living life on repeat.  But the fact is, there is no other way to convey my extraordinary feelings for you through other than those simple ordinary words,” Ashton confesses.

“They are enough for me because they are coming from you,” Luke assures him.  “I love you too; for however long our infinity is going to be.”

 


End file.
